


Actions

by xiusnct



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 18:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16815751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiusnct/pseuds/xiusnct
Summary: Unexpected issues occur while Donghyuck prepares for the new album. Mark is there for him.Actions speak louder than words.





	Actions

**Author's Note:**

> honestly this oneshot took me about 2 hours to write at 2am, so please excuse me for any typos. its unedited  
> hope you enjoy <3
> 
> note: this could be interpreted as a platonic relationship or otherwise! its up to you!

It started out with a crack.

They were in the midst of recording their first full studio album, and the pressure was immense. The thought of the company, the fans, his family, his friends, being disappointed with any single track in the album - stressed the hell out of him.

Hence, the nearer it was to the days of recording, the more he practiced and trained. He had even asked for private sessions with their vocal instructor. He sang practically anywhere, at any time. In the shower, while cooking, while changing for bed. However, while belting out a line from ‘No Longer’, his voice finally snapped. It cracked.

Donghyuck’s eyes widened, and he dropped his shirt to grasp at his throat. This can’t be happening.

Relax Donghyuck, it’ll be okay. You’ll do well at recording tomorrow.

As he tried his best to massage his throat, he shuffled to the kitchen to fix up a warm cup of honey lemon concoction for himself. At the first sip, he took a deep breath in, and coughed lightly. Then he tried to sing the same line again.

It was fine, thank God.

Filled with relief but a tinge of uncertainty, he went to bed early, in hopes for himself to be at his best for tomorrow’s first recording session for the new album.

“Donghyuck, Fighting!”

Mark exclaimed to Donghyuck in encouragement, having ended his recording session right before Donghyuck’s. Mark stopped him at the door, and had pat his back in encouragement. Donghyuck flashed him his usual grin in response, even though his stomach was buzzing with stress.

He could do this.

No, he couldn’t.

Upon half an hour of singing, his voice wobbled and cracked like it did the day before. Donghyuck’s brows furrowed in frustration, and frantically rubbed at the base of his throat.

“Sorry, I’ll try that line again in a second.”

Donghyuck tells the Producer through the microphone, and picks up his bottle of water to take a sip. After a gulp, he closed his eyes and prays for the best. Then he opens his mouth and resumes singing.

At singing the end of a full verse, his voice cracks again, and his throat feels tight and uncomfortable. He rubs his throat and tells the Producer he would take a try again, as he felt that the crack ruined that whole verse.

“Sh-”

Nothing came out. Donghyuck tried it again, away from the microphone, but no sound could be produced from his throat. Only air came through. This can’t be happening.

“Donghyuck, would you like to take a break for today?”, the Producer’s voice came through in his headphones.

Donghyuck shook his his head vehemently, and tried to sing the line again, but nothing came out. It was barely a whisper.

Donghyuck’s eyes welled up with tears, his hand rubbed aggressively at the base of his throat, now red and raw in his frustration. Why isn’t it working out when he’s practiced so hard for it?

“You should take a break, Donghyuck. It’s alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Donghyuck dropped his pride and reluctantly removed his headphones off his head, resting it behind the microphone. He opened the door separating himself from the Producer’s studio, and held his head bowed in shame. In the quietest of whispers, his voice came out hoarse and scratched -

“I’m sorry.”

The Producer shook his head in disappointment but mostly worry for the young one, and promptly dismissed him back to the dorms.

The clock already read 10:06 P.M. when he pushes open the door to the dorms.

He had taken a de-tour after leaving the studio, and sat on a bench by the Han River - which was his favourite place to inhale the river breeze and let it wash away his stress. It didn’t really seem to work today, his head was clouded with anger at his unco-operative throat. Moreover, guilt, as he disappointed his producer and mostly, himself. What was he supposed to do now? Just wait for his voice to return and delay the group’s comeback?

The recording would be done by now if it weren’t for him. He’s just dragging the group’s progression down at this point. It’s all his fault.

Such words hovered around his mind throughout the day, even as he stepped back into home.

As walked into the dorms, he was unaware that Mark had been sitting in the kitchen playing games on his phone to distract himself while waiting, anxiously for the younger to come back home. He couldn’t be contacted through his phone since the recording session, and it was getting late.

Mark noticed the boy’s strange behaviour as soon as he walked through the doors, his eyes trained on him. Donghyuck avoided all eye contact and rushed into his own shared bedroom with the manager, who was still outside at the moment.

Mark sat still in his seat - Maybe Donghyuck’s just brooding, he’ll give him some space.

Before turning in, Mark still felt uneasy at Donghyuck’s behaviour earlier, and the boy hadn’t exited his room since then. Thus, he walked to Donghyuck’s bedroom door.

Approachimg the door, Mark heard sniffles from the other side of the door, and his heart clenched with worry. Pushing the door handle down, he heard the sniffles abruptly stop, and Mark let himself be consumed in the room’s complete darkness.

His gaze dropped upon the unmoving boy who was sprawled face down on the bed, the light from the corridor slivering into the room. His hair was still mussed and wet - fresh out from the shower, Mark assumes. What has got Donghyuck so worked up that he didn’t even bother drying his beloved hair as usual?

Mark closed the door behind him and crawled atop the bed, the bed denting as his weight rests beside Donghyuck. Mark leaned against the headboard, and reached for the switch of the bedside lamp. Meanwhile, Donghyuck still maintained his silence even though someone had clearly interrupted his pity party.

“What’s wrong, Hyuckie?”

Donghyuck didn’t budge.

“Come on Hyuck, I know you’re awake. Talk to me.”

Donghyuck flinched, shook his head against the bedsheets, and tried to push Mark away without so much as looking at him.

“Hyuck, look at me. Don’t be stubborn.”

At this, Donghyuck slowly raised his head after a beat of silence, and glanced up at Mark.

Donghyuck’s eyes were shining with tears and dried tear tracks stained his cheeks.

“Donghyuck?”

Mark reached for Donghyuck’s cheeks, wanting to wipe the tears away, but Donghyuck hid his head down, seemingly in shame. Mark’s hand paused mid-air, then Donghyuck, in a small, barely-there voice,

“I didn’t finish recording today.”

The sniffles resumed.

Mark’s eyes widened in shock and concern as he heard that raspy whisper of a voice.

“What happened..?”

Mark asked in a low, comforting tone, but Donghyuck lightly shook his head against his sheets again - he didn’t want to talk about it. Donghyuck tried to ignore Mark, hoping that he’d leave him alone, but Mark still heard the snotty breaths and his eyes were trained on Donghyuck’s silently shaking shoulders. Mark then rests his hand on Donghyuck’s damp brown locks of hair,  
and runs his hand through them for a minute.

Mark abruptly stops his actions and leaves, Donghyuck’s side. He shuffles to the adjacent bathroom, and Donghyuck shakily peeks through his bangs at where Mark went. Mark returns with a hair dryer in hand, and plugs it into the wall next to Donghyuck’s bed. Donghyuck promptly shoves his face back into his sheets, half-heartedly wanting Mark to leave him alone, but to no avail. Mark returns to where he sat against the headboard, and switched on the hair dryer, the loud whirring cutting through the silence, and pointed it to Donghyuck’s head.

Donghyuck’s breath hitched in confusion, but momentarily relaxed, as the gentle heat of the dryer’s wind and Mark’s gentle (clumsy) hands worked through his hair. Donghyuck’s troubled thoughts slowly ebbed away, and warmth filled his heart instead.

Mark finally finished his rough job at drying Donghyuck’s hair, giving him a last pat on the head and switching off the hair dryer. Upon placing the hair dryer down on the floor, Mark was shocked by a sudden weight resting atop him.

Donghyuck’s warm, dried hair pushed into Mark’s face, while Donghyuck’s own face was covered by Mark’s neck. His arms hooked around Mark’s neck as his body was half sprawled on top of Mark, and half on the sheets.

“Thank you,” Donghyuck softly croaks out.

At this, Mark smiles into Donghyuck’s hair, reaching behind to switch the lamp back off. Mark loops his arms around Donghyuck’s waist, darkness engulfing the both of them in a different kind of solemnity than before.

Maybe actions do speak louder than words, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> i'd love it if you left me a comment or feedback about this, maybe i'll write more!  
> thank you so much for reading <3


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